City council has given a developer the green light to begin the Erbsville south block plan study.

As part of the report approved by council on Monday night, staff have been directed to increase the scope of the study area to help alleviate the concerns of local environmentalists.

“The creatures are at ease there,” said wildlife photographer Deb Lehman, who has spent about 1,500 hours photographing the area over the past four years.

“If you develop it, you’ll lose it.”

Lehman and local resident Deb Swidrovich appeared before council to inform them of the abundance of wildlife contained in the provincially significant wetland, including at-risk and endangered species like the Jefferson Salamander.

In August council deferred their decision on the block plan and environmental study after questions were raised about the staff report’s reliance on a subwatershed study completed in 1996, as well as the scope of the study.

They also wanted to ensure that checks and balances could be established.

In response to those concerns, staff will require the developer to provide interim technical memos at the four- and eight-month stages of the year-long study. That will allow staff and developers to know if the study from 1996 is still aligned with the reality on the ground, and if the hydrogeology has changed, how that might impact the current study.

The landowner, Sunvest Development Corporation, wants to begin developing almost 30 hectares of land in the Erbsville Road area to advance its Regal Place subdivision. The company intends to pay for the $40,000 environmental study.

The property in question occupies land on both the west and the east side of Erbsville Road, from Conservation Drive to Wideman Road.

Lehman and Swidrovich requested council expand the study area 120-metres past the end of Schnarr Street, where several at-risk species have been seen. Under the original terms of reference that portion of land was excluded.

Mayor Brenda Halloran took the request to heart and asked staff to expand the study area to be as thorough as possible.

“We can’t make any mistakes or look at this enough,” said Halloran. “Why not just do the full 120-metres?”